BMW Developing Bobsled for U.S. Olympic Team

German luxury-car maker BMW’s North America unit said it is developing a two-man bobsled for Team USA to use during the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The new sled is part of a collaborative effort between BMW and the USA Bobsled & Skeleton Federation, or USBSF.

The car company said it plans to use its automotive engineering expertise “to completely re-engineer the two-man bobsled,” which in the case of the U.S. team has fallen behind rival sleds in design, materials and technology.

The U.S. bobsled team gained fame at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics by winning a gold medal in the four-man event. But the two-man teams have not won gold since 1936. BMW said the USBSF asked for its help in improving the aerodynamics and chassis dynamics of its two-man sleds.

“By bringing BMW in to provide its expertise, we see an opportunity to close an equipment gap between Team USA and countries that have historically led Olympic two-man bobsled competition,”said Darrin Steele, chief executive officer of the USBSF.

The bobsled program is part of a broad partnership with the United States Olympic Committee that includes a velocity measurement system for long jumpers and a motion tracking system for swimmers. BMW’s Team USA sponsorship continues through the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Bringing high-performance car technology to bobsled desing is not new. Longtime Nascar star Geoff Bodine has been using his racing experience to improve U.S. sleds and win medals for 20 years.